Self-proclaimed eye candy

Six Fifteenâ€™s underage pop punk puts emphasis on fun

Take note. Six Fifteen wants you to know they are “easy on the eyes.” Bassist Matt Huston offered this tasty nugget of wisdom, and others, during a recent conversation regarding his band’s upcoming show at the Viaduct on Saturday, April 18. It was a quote and tone that seems to epitomize the very reason for Six Fifteen’s existence, which is, as far as Huston is concerned, “fun.”

Meeting through various other musical efforts — projects that failed and fizzled — the current lineup of Six Fifteen is a piecing together of musicians from the South Sound all-ages scene. The band’s name starts with Huston; when they first started practicing in the latter months of 2007 he was attending Everett Community College and would have to split from the practice space at 6:15 to get to school on time. After playing around with some non-traditional spellings of the number six, they decided that the look of the correct spelling was more suitable and aesthetically pleasing.

“Blink 182, Set Your Goals, Four Years Strong, Alkaline Trio, and Backstreet Boys” are the five bands that Huston lists in his top influences both personally and collectively for the members of Six Fifteen. Aside from the pop-punk tunes in their musical arsenals, Huston adds that “families … life and school” inspire their songs. Huston even likes to take the writing a step further and “write not necessarily from (his) perspective, but from someone else’s”: a difficult feat, but a little challenge is healthy once in a while.

Finding the all-ages scene to be a place of comfort and one of the few places that will put up with the “three out of four” under-agers in the band, Huston views the niche as a way to “keep kids off the streets” and “out of mischief,” as he admits to causing some trouble himself in his not-too-distant past.

“A lot of cities don’t have any place like (an all-ages venue) to go, even aside from music just a place to hang out,” says Huston, also pointing out that other factors make it difficult for youth to utilize such facilities, such as deficiencies in public transportation.

If you do happen to hop on a bus, ride your skateboard (or rollerblades), or get a ride to the Six Fifteen show at the Viaduct on April 18, apart from a self-proclaimed attractive cast of characters on stage, you’ll get to watch the band “jump around, make dumb jokes, and make fun of each other,” according to Huston.

Like I said, this band is all about fun. They even have some songs in which they’ve specifically included “singalong choruses,” so ticket holders can feel included, too.

What’s wrong with a couple of handclaps and anthem-like lyrics once in a while? Nothing I can see.